Seinfeld. The ultimate water cooler show. Friday morning, following NBC's Thursday night Must See TV, Seinfeld fans would gather to rehash the show about nothing which involved Jerry and his closest pals, George, Elaine, and Kramer. "Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

We get a glimpse of another famous, and scandalous, water cooler moment in John 4.

The conversation in question, between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the most ancient of water coolers, still serves to reveal the relentless love that Jesus has for those deemed immoral, low-brow, and loose. For Jesus knew of this woman and her track record, plus her current situation, and yet, as she arrived at the well He didn't look the other way, (pretending not to see her), exit quickly, or launch into a sermon, berating her life choices. Quite the opposite.

He asked her for a drink.

His simple question served as the invitation to a conversation, where He could have chosen to demean and perhaps embarrass her to the point of vacating the area. What purpose would that have served? Rather than speaking AT the woman who may have felt worthless to the point of leaving in haste, He spoke TO her saying, come. Be. Let's talk.

And what of the disciples who arrived to discover Jesus conversing with this Samaritan woman? In their shock (and disgust) did they block her from Jesus, like watering hole bouncers, asking, "What do you want?" Did they rebuke Jesus Himself with, "Why are you talking with her?"

No. They remained silent. Jesus was handling the situation. But, truthfully, don't we tend to assume the opposite at times? That He's given up on "them"? Truly, we are not always privy to the work that God has already started deep down in one's heart, and thus, we may wrongly assume that the person in question is too far gone. They are dismissed. Hmm, I am certainly grateful that he stuck by this "Samaritan". Me.

Who is your "Samaritan?"

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